Lady Tuty
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Object Label
Lady Tuty’s statuette, along with the adjacent figure of Lady Mi, was discovered in a communal tomb at Medinet Gurob. The style of Tuty’s sculpture is more traditional than that of Mi: the figure is slimmer and the fringed dress is depicted in a plainer, heavier fabric. Certain elements—such as the big gilded earrings and the faint traces of gilded sandals—associate her with the extraordinary wealth of Amunhotep’s time. The cone on her head represents a type of perfumed ointment worn by the wealthy at banquets and other opulent occasions. The cone gradually melted, releasing its fragrance over the hair and clothes.
Caption
Lady Tuty, ca. 1390–1352 B.C.E.. Wood, gold leaf, 10 1/4 x 1 7/8 x 5 1/2 in. (26 x 4.8 x 14 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 54.187. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 54.187_front_PS2.jpg)
Title
Lady Tuty
Date
ca. 1390–1352 B.C.E.
Dynasty
late Dynasty 18
Period
New Kingdom, Amarna Period
Geography
Place excavated: Medinet Gurob, Egypt
Medium
Wood, gold leaf
Classification
Dimensions
10 1/4 x 1 7/8 x 5 1/2 in. (26 x 4.8 x 14 cm)
Credit Line
Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund
Accession Number
54.187
Rights
Creative Commons-BY
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Frequent Art Questions
On the Lady Tuty sculpture, what is the thing that looks like a cone on her head?
The cone represents a perfumed cone that wealthy Ancient Egyptians would wear on top of their heads at special occasions. The cones melted into their wigs and clothing thus giving off a fragrance.What is the cone on top of this statue's head/wig?
The cone represents a solid perfume that would have been worn on special occasions and feasts. Similar to today's solid perfumes, it would be made using wax with natural fats or oils. This perfume cone would be placed on the head, where it would melt and release a fragrance.How cool is that? I wonder what it smelled like! Was it a cosmetic thing or a religious thing?The scents would have come from spices and other natural substances like myrrh, cardamom, scented woods, cinnamon, etc. Perfume was associated with the god Nefertem who was also the god of healing, so we think that perfumes may have been seen as medicinal as well as cosmetic.Wow, that's so cool! Thanks for sharing!
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